Project promotes talking, not shopping, on Friday

She does know that he grew up in Nashville with five siblings and left school in the eight grade during the Depression. (He later earned a GED certificate.)

Sullins said she first learned of StoryCorps, like Rigell, when she heard some of the interviews on the radio. She found out about the National Day of Listening through an e-mail and thought it sounded like the perfect opportunity to interview her grandfather.

"He's had a lot of health problems recently," she said, her voice breaking. After a pause, she added, "And he might not be around too much longer."